It’s The Economy, Stoopid
Posted by Foobooz on July 11th, 2009
Photo via twitpic
Ansill Food + Wine has a sign in its window stating it will be closed for the remainder of the summer. Michael Klein reports the closure is more permanent than that. And just when its Korean tacos seemed poised to take off.
In a letter received by Jack Curtin, General Lafayette Inn owner Chris Leonard outlines the dire straits the brewpub is in. Although vowing to stay open, the three building complex needs money now and is looking to take on investors.
Ansill closes [The Insider]
Whoa! General Lafayette in crisis [Jack Curtin's Liquid Diet]
Related Tags: Ansill, Closing, General-Lafayette-Inn
July 11th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Ok, so where else do we get Korean tacos?
July 12th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Really an aa comment that’s pretty low.
July 12th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Not to mention unfounded, but then again, his comment belies why so many bloggers can’t be taken seriously: he obviously has an axe to grind.
For the record, both the phone message and the sign on the door infer that this is merely temporary; whether or not that’s true remains to be seen.
July 12th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Let’s hope this is only temporary. I loved going to Ansill, be it for dinner with friends or just to sit at the bar for their incredible “happy hour.”
July 12th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Agreed. Our culinary scene is distinctly worse off without an Ansill.
July 13th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Where is the city without Ansill?
Without a polished, cutting edge restaurant that offered unique well-executed items not found elsewhere.
Ansill was upscale, but not stuffy. It wasn’t uber-expensive. The food pushed many culinary frontiers. (Lambs Tongue, Bone Marrow, Shirred Duck Eggs).
Diners were made to feel comfortable and the food was the focus, not the Disney-theme park surroundings.
Interesting wines by the glass were available, a tasting poured at the table to insure you actually liked it, and to show you were actually (winkwink) receiving what you ordered.
Philadelphia has lost more than just one restaurant. It’s lost some credibility as a “restaurant city”. A top tier culinary city would not have let this happen.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:47 am
“A top tier culinary city would not have let this happen.”
Oh, do tell us what a top tier culinary city would have done to prevent this tragedy. Print money so that all residents could get korean taco or glass of wine? This may well be the stupidest comment on this blog to date. Not sure what the “aa comment” comments are in reaction to, but there’s nothing wrong with a blog reporting a closure and the rumors that it’s more than a seasonal shut down. I don’t know what food journals of record you subscribe to, but it generally seems the nature of the beast behind good food journalism necessitates reporting the gossip. Otherwise, you just have press release regurgitation.
July 13th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Seems like the South St area is really struggling these days. Maybe he should have opened in center city.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
I don’t know what food journals of record you subscribe to
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Me neither. Name three.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Gourmet, Saveur, Bon Appetit, Serious Eats, Cook’s Illustrated, Hot Knives, CookEatFRET…. what the hell is a food journal anyway?
August 25th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Oh Interventionist, you’re so witty…and your ramblings are reflective of the stupidest comments I’ve read to date on this blog. In a “top tier culinary city” people continue to dine out and not sit at home with a serving of Hot Pockets. In “top tier culinary city” there isn’t a knee jerk response to cease supporting quality establishments. You’re yet another shining example of this backwater of a city.
Enjoy those Hot Pockets.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:58 am
so, mr. perry, why have there been prominent closings in NYC and SF ?
sh*t happens. Philly lost a great one…I hope it comes back.